Highway Through Hell
by AngeLuver
Summary: What would happen if Angel didn't find his way to Earth, but Buffy went to Acathla's hell. Will they succeed to find their way home through horror filled dimension?


**I was wondering what would happen if instead of Angel's return to Earth, Buffy was sucked to Acathla's Hell. And yes, I know it was done a million times before, but I hope you will give a chance to my version of this story. Every comment and suggestion is really appreciated! :)**

**The story starts at the end of s03e03 **_**'Faith, Hope & Trick'**_**.**

**Rated M for later chapters.**

**Disclaimer: ****I don't own 'Buffy the vampire slayer'**

* * *

The sun was setting by the time Buffy arrived to the old mansion in Crawford Street. Dimly lit hallway led to the place where she last saw him. Kissed him. Lost him.

Big robust Acathla was gone, along with every sign about fight that took place there. And to some part of her that seemed unfair. Unfair that there are no reminders about the scene which played there, about a man whose life was sacrificed for this world, that there is not a single token about a vampire who was her everything.

With heavy step and even heavier heart Buffy came to the place where demon of stone used to stand and knelt on the exact spot where she forced Angelus to his knees. Her dress rose up her thighs and her bare knees came in contact with cold marble floor. For a second she wondered if Angelus felt this coldness too. Tears clouded her usually bright eyes and her right hand started to shake, her fingers desperately clutching on one of last reminders she had on him, unwilling to part from last thing he ever gave her.

But it was time to let go.

While her heart wept and soul screamed, she blinked away the tears and with shaky fingers laid her Claddah ring on the ground, on the place where three months ago Angel's blood painted gray floor.

"Goodbye." She whispered, half surprised when her soft voice didn't break. Slowly, as if considering taking the ring with her again, Buffy rose to her feet and turned towards the path she came from, leaving the ring, Angel, and hopefully, some of the pain behind her.

At first nothing happened. Sounds of steps were quieter with every foot away from the room, and silver ornament was pitiable sight in opulent residency. At that time, for a second, unusual light shone discarded jewelry.

Blond girl who was now in close proximity to the exit didn't notice.

As if refusing to be ignored, the light appeared again, this time for a second longer.

Buffy, now just a step from the freedom outdoor provided, was still clueless.

The same light arose again, and this time stayed there, accompanied with low jingling sounds from the ring which was now nervously shaking against the hard ground.

Slender arm paused on its mission to open the door while Buffy closely listened. When it happened again she was sure she is not imagining it. Someone was obviously there, probably snooping around and disturbing the peace _he_ deserved.

Rapidly and somewhat angrily, Buffy came to the big room again, only to be greeted with sudden descending of total darkness. Chills went through her body, fine hairs on the nape of her neck stood up and well-known adrenaline rush streamed through her body. She was ready to fight if it proves to be necessary, while a part of her mind considered a way to notice Giles and the gang about this unusual event. It didn't seem normal and something like this, on the hell mouth, usually represents apocalyptic end of the world. Small shine on the floor caught her eye, and while looking at it, it suddenly burst wide and bathed whole space in blinding light. Buffy automatically covered her eyes against the light which even through her closed eyelids managed to hurt, and it surprised her when it didn't burn her skin.

Feelings of fear, surprise and wonder were mixing inside of her, when abruptly, all but one shut down. She felt it. She felt him. Her Angel-sense exploded and after so much time she felt those special goose bumps which could mean only one. He was here. Rational part of her knew it is impossible, Slayer part of her was screaming about danger, little Giles on her left shoulder whispered her to stop and think clearly. But Buffy opened her eyes in desperate desire to see him, even if only for a second. Relentless brightness forced her to shut them again, so Buffy blindly stepped in the direction she felt the pull from. Her throat was completely dry, and the sound that wanted to escape from her mouth and call him died on her lips, too scared that he won't answer, that he isn't really there. In next second, even if she couldn't know it, she was mere centimeters away from her ring, when invisible force hugged her being and pulled her upwards.

The light disappeared.

Only sign that Buffy was here was silver ring on the floor of the mansion.

* * *

Falling.

Falling was the first thing Buffy felt. One moment she was standing in the mansion and in the next she was falling. Falling hard. Spinning came next.

At first, all she was aware of was pain from the fall and nausea with throbbing in her head as a delightful side effect. Annoying and sickening buzzing was in her ears while unpleasant smell of wet earth assaulted her scent of smell, not helping her stomach who by now carved his burning path to her mouth. Or at least it seemed like it. Her whole body was uncontrollable shaking but she was hot, almost like she was on fire, while cold sweat moistened her face and neck.

After a few moments of heavy breathing she finally opened her eyes. As expected, she was lying on damp earthy ground which she smelt earlier. Next, she lifted her nose from it and took a deep breath. Supporting her weight on shaky arms she finally raised her upper body, reducing pressure on her stomach and somewhat helping with her nausea. And that meant she could concentrate on next burning question.

'_What the hell happened?' _Deciding that she has no idea where she is, she quickly realized how vulnerable she is on all four, and hurried to stand on her feet. With quaky legs and dizziness not the smartest idea. In a second she was on her knees again. "Too soon. Too soon." She realized and puffed in irritation, glancing around.

She was in dark, stuffy room. Walls were grey and dirty, big humidity stains all around, with no windows as far as she could see. It seemed fairly large, but not a single object was lying around. Finally gathering enough straight to stand up, Buffy shook her head in hope that it will stop the buzzing she could still hear and feel in her head. But it only made things worse, because now she didn't hear only buzzing, but growling also. Stupid, annoying... "Growling?" Panic overtook her body, her hands reflexively going to her upper thigh where she had one small strapped stake. Clutching it in her hand and taking a weak fighting stance she made her way forward, to the part of the room she still couldn't see.

There, at the far end, she could discern a human-like figure, bent forward in her direction. The closer she got, more clearly she could see, and hear. Her eyes never left the figure that even though wasn't still, didn't seem to come closer either. She ignored the growling which was with her every step becoming louder and more threatening. Finally, the chatter of metal came to her and the realization that whatever it was, it was chained, downed on her. After a few more steps she could finally see. Completely naked human body with heavy looking chains around its waist and wrists was chained to the wall, giving him only a few feet to move and use his hands. Every inch of his skin was covered with dirt and grime, which was irritating his still open wounds, bloody scrapes and blisters. Buffy pressed her free hand to her mouth to somehow repress the urge to vomit when his stench reached her. Dried blood, burned flesh and sour filth all mixed in one. Turning her head away from it she took a few deep breaths and forced herself to come closer to him, she needed to know where she is and he was her only source of information. The man started to trash violently against the chains, desperately trying to get to her, his hands doing their best to grab her, his growling reminding her on wild animals she saw on documentaries. And then his face finally came into her view. It was in no better shape than his body, bared fangs ominously trying to bite into her, wild yellow eyes trained on her.

"Angel?" Buffy breathed out, her voice shaking. She flinched away when that only empowered his violent attack, and she somehow felt that he would try to kill her if he wasn't tied up.

And she knew where she is.

"So this is hell." She whispered, still looking at him, desperately hoping that he will calm down.

"Angel please..." she softly begged, and stupidly reached to him, despite his snarling and thrashing, somehow believing that her touch will calm him down, like it always did. That her warmth will convince him that he is no longer alone.

The battered vampire predatory gazed at strange creature, the creature that didn't wore a smell of this place, a smell of smoke and death, like every other being he came in contact with. Like him. It smelt strange, if he could remember what it was he would say sweet, like home. But more than that, it smelt like food. He didn't remember ever seeing anything like that before, but his instincts kicked in and he somehow knew that if he could reach it, he will finally eat and satisfy his hunger. Hunger that was burning inside of him for decades, ever since he came to this place. Strangely enough, he didn't remember ever being anywhere else.

Guards and demons who came to see him fed him only enough to give him enough strength to stand and provide small resistance against them, because it's not worth it if he only lies there. No, it's not interesting if he doesn't have enough strength to try to beat them away, to fight; or to the others, enough strength to ultimately fall and with teary whimpering and painful howls beg them to stop. Because he lost his words long time ago. Just like himself.

Whatever it was, it was relentlessly coming closer, sounds of strong heart beat and blood running through its veins stimulating his hunger and will to fight, to finally beat at least one of them. He knew he has to kill it before it tries and kill him. Because he knew it will only try. He would gladly greet his death if it was an option.

So when the creature which looked similar to him reached with one of his limbs he used last of his strength and viciously grab its arm, trying to pull the body to him and end it. To sink his teeth in delicate column of its white neck and suck it dry. To finally feel something beside pain.

Buffy often dreamt about Angel, imagined what it would be like to feel him again, to let him hold her, to bury her head into his chest and let his smell carry her away. But when she barely escaped from his grip and fell to the floor from the force she pushed herself away from him, and chains were the only thing that stood between her and his wish to hurt her, she finally looked into the vampire in front of her. And she didn't see Angel. She didn't find Angelus. She discovered frightened, angry, rabid animal who had no idea who she, or he himself was. It was like they beated his soul and the demon out from him. Was it even possible?

And she couldn't help but wonder what could happen to turn the strongest man she ever met into something like that. Tears welled in her eyes again and her hand griped her stake a little tighter. He wouldn't want to live like this.

But then again, that didn't mean she couldn't try to help him recover. And first step to his recovery was get him out from here. She had no idea where are they, how she came here or what awaits them outside, but by the look of Angel she was positive it can't be worst then things in here.

She turned to the heavy looking wooden door she noticed a couple of meters away from them and went in that direction, leaving angry, loud vampire behind her. There was round doorknob on them and a little carved hole filled with heavy metal bars. There was barely enough space to press her small head against them and look outside. In her limited field of vision, while standing on tips of her toes, she could discern a dark hallway illuminated with a couple of torches, two doors that looked exactly like this one, and not a living soul lurking around.

When despite her best efforts she couldn't see any further down the hall, Buffy took a step back and twisted the doorknob. As expected, door didn't move an inch. "Didn't think so." Buffy mumbled to her chin and dared to look at Angel again. She thought that her heart broke when Angelus took his body, but that couldn't even compare with sadness which was uncontrollable blooming inside of her now. She quickly, at least for the time being, ignored little voice of her conscience that whispered that it was all her fault and concentrated on the problem at hand. How will she take Angel outside? She was pretty sure she could break the chains and defend herself from him, especially considering his weakened state she noticed earlier, but she couldn't let him run freely around and risk losing him. God knows what is outside. Deciding to think about that later she moved her attention to breaking their first obstacle from freedom.

Buffy gripped at the handle and give her best to pull the door open while making as little noise as possible. She didn't want attract unwanted attention, and something told her that the thing that chained Angel isn't too far. When after a few more pulls and shakes, despite her slayer strength, she was no closer to escape, she took two steps back with attention to force their way out. Only then she noticed how unusually quiet her roommate suddenly become. Before long the reason of heavy silence became clear. Clatter of keys came to her through still closed doors and doorknob started to twist.

The slayer moved further away from the door and stand in front of the still as a rock vampire. She squeezed her spare stake tightly, inaudibly cursing herself for not having something else with her, something that could cause much more pain.

After what seemed like forever, wooden obstacle finally revealed something that made Buffy gulp hard. It was at least 10 ft tall humanly shaped figure, its slender form not at all calming her down. It was totally parted from any sign of body hears, its skin white – like dipped in chalk powder, almost shining on the light from the torch in hallway. It was naked except bloody red cloth that reached from its lower waist to middle thigh. The cloth seemed wet and for a brief second Buffy wondered does the color originates from real blood. The slayer had to crane her neck up to see his head. It was bold, in consistency with the rest of the body, two pitch black eyes with black smudges around them curiously studying her. His black lips were set in flat line and he held fairly large and seemingly sharp spear in right hand.

"What are you, like the hell version of The Crow?" Buffy asked when she finally found her breath again. "'Cause got to say, not the best try if you ask me."

The guard twisted his mouth in the most malicious smirk Buffy ever saw, and since she saw Angelus it says a lot. "Human." It hissed, plainly pleased with his discovery. With his foot he pushed the door closed without turning from her, as if he wanted to save her just for himself.

"Slayer." Buffy tossed and without waiting for response lunged herself at him.

The guard stood perfectly still, not even flinching until her foot came just a few centimeters from his head. In lightning move he grabbed her ankle in one hand and stop it mid air, his other hand with spear in it casually hanging on the other side. He twisted her leg in awkward angle, successfully twisting her whole body with it and let her fall unceremoniously to the floor, tearing the skirt of her dress on the right side all the way to her hip.

Not allowing the pain to slow her down, Buffy quickly stretched out her leg and hit him with all her power to the right shin. While he didn't lose his balance and fall as she hoped he would, his knee did flinch a little making his body to drop a few inches lower, giving her perfect opportunity to lift her body a little and bring her other foot to his face again. He leisurely dipped his head under her upcoming foot and hit her under thigh with closed fist, sending her whole body sprawling back.

Buffy quickly found her way up, just in time to receive another closed fist hit, this time to side of her lip, bleeding it instantly. Ignoring the pain, taste of blood she could feel and his grin, Buffy falsely swung left, turning his attention from her right hook that forcefully hit his ribs and sent him a step back. Using that she quickly followed after him and firmly swung with her stake in his direction. He caught he by the wrist, but this time didn't threw her like last time, he held tight and brought his knee to her gut, sending her to her knees. Still holding her by her wrist, in one upward throw he tossed her body from the ground, let go of her hand and swung with his fist, hitting her in left jaw and sending her flying to the wall.

Buffy's head hit the wall hard, making her whole world spin and her hand to release the stake. Trying to clear her vision she awaited another attack while at the same time trying to locate her only weapon on dark floor. And she would continue looking if loud moan didn't turn her attention elsewhere. Quickly turning her head in direction of the sound, her eyes first caught the sight of the guard turned sidewise from her, standing two meters away from Angel who was curled up in fetal position on the floor, his head covered with his arms, his whole body shaking while scared whimpers reached to her. The guard smugly smiled at the fallen vampire and Buffy felt rage like never before in her life.

"What did you do to him?!" The slayer shouted while raising herself from the floor, murder in her eyes, her stake forgotten.

The white creature slowly turned her attention to Buffy again, a smile never slipping from his face. "Don't want to spoil a surprise." His voice was a dark promise, and Buffy shuddered when she tried to imagine what would have to happen to someone to have that kind of reaction sole on his presence. Rage blinded her, make her forget on all pain she felt and pushed her forward, running to the guard.

Something in her demeanor must have unnerved him, because for the first time since he came here, he raised his spear and showed a will to use it.

Buffy ran towards him, her arm prepared for a blow, not showing any sign of slowing down. When she was just out of arms reach, the guard stretched his weapon and aimed it to her midsection, expecting that she will impale on it herself. But before the sharp edge came in contact with her skin, Buffy threw herself on the floor and on her stomach slipped through his spread legs. Not giving him enough time to turn around Buffy stopped herself with her hands and sent a powerful blow to his lower back, using her right foot. Using the guard's evident surprise, Buffy hurriedly stood straight again, grabbed the handle of his spear that was protruded behind him with both hands, and sent her strongest leg blow to his back. The guard stumbled forward, slightly easing his grip in the weapon and accidentally letting Buffy pull it to herself, cutting his hands in the process.

Not slowing down, Buffy swung the spear planning to stab him from behind, but the guard moved to the left, jammed the spear with his armpit and swung his right elbow back, hitting her to the chest and knocking the air from her lungs out. In one ease move he swung the spear around him, bringing stumbling Buffy who refused to let it go with it. He grasped the blade, totally oblivious to the wound it was making in his palms, pulled the handle from Buffy's hands and hit her flat to the throat with it. Buffy fell to her back, barely breathing, desperately lifting her body in attempt to bring fresh air to her lungs. Her opponent, showing no mercy, swung his leg and hit her to the side of her stomach, making Buffy's body to roll over and start to losing battle against unconsciousness.

Among the black spots that started to take over her sight, strange gleam attracted her attention, bringing her eyes to her stake beside it. Gathering last atoms of her strength, Buffy pushed her legs against the ground, sending her body sliding forward at the last moment before the guard managed to grab her. She had just enough time to scoop the stake before she was hoisted up the air by her ankle. While hanging, she twisted her body and with one tough move hammered her weapon all the way in his flesh, just above his knee, drawing painful scream from him, forcing the guard to push her away and fall to the floor himself. Not waiting another second, Buffy snatched the spear from the ground and pierced still screaming guard through his heart, silencing him for good.

After she took a moment to calm herself down, the slayer took a look at Angel to make sure he is all right. She found him crouching by the wall, watching from her to the guard and back again in silent wonder. Thinking fast, she pulled the spear from now dead body and threw it on the floor, repeating the same with the stake, leaving them lying for a moment, not wanting to scare the vampire with what she planned to do next. Buffy held the guard by his hands and started to pull his heavy body after her. When she came in proximity to Angel who started silently growling again, although nowhere near as aggressive as before, she threw his body as best as she could in front of him, turned and walked away.

Angel observed retreating figure of the petite blond, and when she moved enough to give him some form of security, he turned his gaze to the body in front of him. While he couldn't hear his heartbeat anymore, his flesh still radiated warmth, and the smell of his blood pushed his fangs downwards. Angel stared at the body of the demon that for years sowed fear in his dead veins, for decades caused him nothing but pain. Day after day he beated him down, ruthlessly starved him, numerous times raped his body, barbarously stomped his spirit and let other beasts do with him whatever pleased their twisted minds and bodies. Rage passed through his defeated mind, and the vampire sharply thrust his fangs in guards neck, drawing sweet elixir of powerful blood, enjoying in first real food in years and letting her help and heal his gaping wounds.

In the meantime, Buffy returned to the place where she left the weapons, lifted and cleaned both of them in her ruined dress, strapped the stake back at his secret place on her upper thigh, and searched the floor until she found the silver gleam that caught her attention earlier. Finally finding it, she blew at the ring and rubbed it against her dress until there was no more dirt on him. She softly caressed Claddah ring, this one bigger then hers, unclasped her necklace and hanged him around her neck, next to the golden heart with cross in the middle.

Next, she made her way to the exit. Slowly and quietly, not wanting to attract more guards, she twisted the doorknob until she heard a silent click and carefully opened the door. She warily peeked her head outside and closely looked down the hall. Now, when she could clearly see, she noticed that there is a dead end to her left, which only left one way for them to go. Also, she saw that there aren't only two doors as she previously thought; there were dozens of them on each side of the hall. Her heart tightened when she thought on the other poor souls that are suffering the same fate as her Angel. Hurriedly, even though she knew there is no time, she decided to look through a couple of small windows to see what is in there, and to find out are there any more people here. But, when after fifth window, she still didn't found a single human, and time was tirelessly passing, Buffy returned to Angel's cell, took the keys the guard left in the lock and returned inside.

When she stepped in front of Angel he was still feeding and Buffy was thankful for that. That meant she could come close enough to unlock the chains from the wall without him trying to hurt her. When her mission was done, she stood silently and waited for him to finish, holding his chains, still wrapped around him in one hand and her new spear and keys in another. She wondered how hungry he was when she managed to came this close and still not disturb him. A few more moments passed until Angel lifted his head from the body, his whole chin bloody, some of it dripping down his chest, but Buffy noticed that some of his wounds looked better already. Gripping the chains tighter and happily realizing that he stopped growling at her, even though he still looked at her warily, Buffy made her way to the door, lightly pulling the chains to make Angel fallow her and twisted the doorknob again.

It's time to get the hell out of here...


End file.
